Apparatus for making water gas



July 13, 1926. 1,592,464

R. R. M DONNELL. ET AL APPARATUS FOR MAKING WATER GAS Filed March 26, 1921 7?. RJ (Donlelf JSM 0 well r l/d dzg C,

Patented July 13, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPI-T R. MODONNELL AND JOSEPH S. MCDONNELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOTS.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WATER GAS.

Application filed March 26, 1921. Serial No. 455,773.

This invention relates to apparatus for the making of water gas by passing steam or water vapor through incandescent coke, or coal, or other fuel. I

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a comparatively'simple and inexpensive form of apparatus which can be used in the manufacture of water gas, by burning the fuel on a specially constructed grate, and by passing steam or water vaporupwardly through the grate and the incandescent fuel thereon, so that the steam or water vapor is decomposed in the usual or well-known manner in order to produce a water gas of a desired character.

It is also an object to provide certain de tails and features of construction tending to increase the general efiiciency and the die sirability of a unitary and more or less portable sheet metal apparatus of this particular character. 7

To these and other useful ends the invention consists of matters hereinafter set forth, claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a water gas apparatus embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 21's a horizontal section on 2-2 in Figure 1:

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a sheet metal casing forming the body 1 which is preferably cylindrical in form with the axis of the cylinder extending vertically, and with a water jacket2 extending around the combustion chamber 3 thus proline vided by said sheet metal body. A closure 4 is provided at the top of said body, for

charging in the fuel, and in the lower portion of said body'a grate 5 is provided.

Said grate is preferably of cast metal, and is cast with passages 6 therein, so that steam or waten vapor or even water entering said passages through the inlet pipe 7 will circulate throu h the grate and escape from the outlet 8 into the ash pit or space 9 provided by the structure below said grate. The ipe 7 is connected with the ipe coil iiich rests upon the top'of said grate,

and which is connected at its outer end with the valve 11 which in turn is connected to a pipe 12 which leads from the side of the water jacket 2 previously mentioned. Said water jacket may be provided with a door or closure .13 for supplying water to the chamber within the jacket. A pipe 14 leads or vapor generated within the water jacket,

by the heat of the fuel on and above said grate, will be discharged into the space below the grate. Pipe 15 enters the combust1on chamber near the upper portion thereof above the water jacket and extends downwardly to a point where its lower end isprovided with an apertured ball 16, and with this arrangement, and with the pipe 15 connected to an exhauster of any suitable char; acter, the gases and products of combustion produced above the grate will be drawn into the apertured ball 16 and conducted through the fpipe 15 to any suitable apparatus for the urther treatment of the gas.

The entire apparatus, therefore, as shown, with the exception of the grate and the pipes, can be made of sheet metal and may e of a more or less portable nature, so that the apparatus can be constructed in the form of a unit which can be moved around orinstalled in any desired place. An apparatus of this character may be of any suitable or The steam or water vapor which is necessary K for the production of the water gas is supplied, it will be seen, not only by the coil 10 and the passages 6 in the grate, but also .by the vaporization of the water which is maintained in the water jacket to prevent the heat of the fire from burning out the sheet metal wlls of the cylindric body. Of course, if desired, fire brick 17 can be provided as a lining extending around the lower portion of the combustion chamber. grate can be held in position in any suitable or desired manner, and any suitable fuel, such as coke or coal, can be heated on the grate to superheat the steam or vapor which isthereafter decomposed by passing it upwardly through the grate and the fire, thus producing gases of the desired character.

The damper 18 is shown, obviously, for admitting air under the grate, and with this arrangement the fuel can be ignited and blasted to the proper condition for thereafter making the water gas. The principles and theories regarding the manufacture of water gas are so well known and so well understood that they do not need description herein. It will be observed, however, that the arrangement is such that after the fuel is air blasted to the proper condition, the

The

damper can be shut, and with the cover 4 closed, the steam or water vapor can then be produced, by the novel and specific means shown and described, and allowed to pass up through the grate and the steam generating means, and through the incandescent fuel, to cause the desired effect on the steam or water vapor, in the usual or any manner, thereby to produce what is ordinarily called water gas, or in the manufacture of any desired gas. It is obvious, of course, that the apparatus can be used in various ways, and the invention is not limited to any particular method of use, or to the making of any particular kind of gas. 'Of course, the,ball or hollow member 16 has the apertures on the opposite sides and bottom thereof, as shown, and is supported by the outlet gas pipe 15, and forms the inlet for this-pipe. As shown, this ball member 16 is disposed in the combustion chamber 3, so that the steam passes upwardly through the grate and through the steam generating means formed by the coil 10, and through the incandescent fuel around the member 16 which forms a screenlike gas outlet for drawing off the manufactured gas. As stated, however, the appa ratus can be used in diiferent ways, and the which to pass steam and also having invention is not limited to any particular use of the apparatus shown and described, which is illustrative of a construction and organization embodying the principles of the invention.

It will be understood that by steam, is meant vaporized water, either low temperature vapor orhigh temperature or superheated steam, or water vapor of any kind.

What we claim as our invention is:

1.. Apparatus for making water gas, comprising a generating chamber having a grate for supporting incandescent fuel therein and also having a space below said grate, means arranged above said grate for withdrawing gas from said chamber, said grate having passages formed therein, steam generating means including a coiled pipe arranged over said grate and having its outlet end connected to said passages in the grate, means for supplying water or steam to said pipe, and means for discharging steam from said passages in the ate into said space below the grate, where y the steam is caused to pass upwardly from said space below the grate and through the incandescent fuel on the grate.

2. Apparatus for making water gas, comrising a generating chamber having a grate or supporting incandescent fuel through V a space below said grate, means arranged a ove said "rate for withdrawing gas from said chamer, steam generating means in said chamber including a pipe coiled on the top of said water or steam means for discharging the grate steam generated in said pipe int said space below the grate whereby the steam is caused to pass upwardly from said space through the incandescent fuel on said grate, said waauxiliary connection to discharge steam from the top of said jacket into said space.

3. Apparatus for making water gas, comprising a generating chamber having a grate for supporting incandescent fuel therein and also having a space below said grate, an apertured ball disposed over said grate and provided with aconnection to draw ofi the gas from said generating chamber, said having passages formed therein, steam generating means including a coiled pipe arranged over said grate and having its outlet end connected to said passages in the grate, means for supplying water or steam to said pipe, and means for discharging steam from said passages in the grate into said space below the grate, whereby the steamis caused to pass upwardly from said space below the grate and through the incandescent vfuel on the grate.

4. Apparatus for making gas, com risin a generating chamber having a grate orme with passages therein, a pipe connected to 'said passages, said grate and pipe compris- 5. Apparatus for making gas, comprising a metal housing forming a generating chamber having a grate therein to support incandescent fuel, and also having a space below said grate, a water jacket .enclosing the walls of said generating chamber, means combined with said grate to convert the water into steam, means todischarge the generated steam into said space, below the grate, so that the steam will pass upwardly through the incandescent fuel above the grate and also through the steam generating means.

6. A structure as specified in claim 5, and an auxiliary connection to discharge steam from said jacket into said space below said water jacket extending around and outside of said chamber, means for charging fuel into said chamber, means combined with said grate for withdrawing hot water from said jacket and converting it into steam,

the grate having means therein for receiv-- ing and superheatin the steam, means i 1 whereby the steam is nally discharged into said space,'and means for drawing off the gas from said generating chamber so that the generated and superheated steam will pass upwardly around the steam generating and superheating means into the incandes- 9. In. a Water gas generator of the alternate run and blow type, in combination, a gas generating chamber, a Water jacket therefor, a coil Within the generating chamber adapted for generating steam, a grate having passages to receive the generated steam, an ash it below the grate, and a perforated ball-sh generating chamber.

RALPH R. MODONNELL. JOSEPH S. MoDONNELL.

aped gas outlet in the gas 20 

